elf

Meaning

Noun

1. (Germanic) A supernatural being or spirit associated with illness, mischief, and harmful or dangerous magical influence; in later Norse sources, sometimes divided into benevolent light elves (inhabiting Álfheimr) and malevolent dark elves.
2. A small, magical creature similar to a fairy, often mischievous, playful, or occasionally helpful.
3. A member of a race of tall, slender, graceful beings with pointed ears, typically immortal or very long-lived and possessing wisdom and magical abilities.
4. (obsolete) A very diminutive person; a dwarf.
5. (South-Africa) Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix).

Verb

To twist into elflocks (of hair); to mat.

Synonyms

fairy

🧚

sprite

imp

👿

gnome

hob

goblin

pixy

spirit

hobgoblin

nymph

dwarf

puck

gremlin

pixie

charm

pygmy

brownie

fay

wizard

gnome 1

legendary creature

barghest

daemon

demon

eleven

genie

🧞

ghost

👻

incubus

kobold

leprechaun

lilliputian

manikin

midge

midget

minim

pigmy

runt

sylph

troll

🧌

Translations

elfe

🧝

elfo

🧝

Elf

elfo

🧝

Elfe

lutin

👿

elf

11

elfo

🧝

duende

Elb

🧝

Fee

🧚

folletto

🧝

fée

🧚

elf

🧝

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɛlf/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: elf

Inherited from Old English: ielf

In summary

From Middle English elf, from Old English ielf, ælf, from Proto-West Germanic *albi, from Proto-Germanic *albiz. Ultimately probably derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂elbʰós (“white”). Doublet of alf, awf, and oaf. The modern fantasy literature sense was popularised by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.